Preventing dehydrations

Since 2010, there is a cooperation with the Kuratorium Wohnen im Alter (KWA) in order to devolop devices supporting elderly people and caregivers. With financial support of the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach-Stiftung, assistive systems have been under development which focus on automated documentation.

Elderly people are under increased threat of dehydration due to age-related impairments of their natural regulation mechanisms. Dehydration is caused by an insufficient fluid intake. Institutions like nursing homes monitor and document the fluid intake of people under risk. If neccessary, counter measures can be started. 

Between september 2012 and mai 2016, a system has been under development which automatically detects the fluid intake in order to reveal potential dehydrations early on. It consists of two different sensor units. A detection cup measures the current filling level and deduces the fluid intake. A detection straw measures the fluid intake directly. A base station is used to display these informations.

System for detection fluid intake

The shown system for detecting fluid intake uses two different sensor units for different use cases. On the left, detection straws are shown which have to be connected to disposable drinking straws in order to detect the amount of beverages drunk through them. Detection cups are shown on the right which detect the filling level with capactive electrodes placed on the side in order to deduce the fluid intake. In the background, 3 base stations are shown which allow an interactive access to the sensor units. The are able to charge detection cups inductively.

 

Publications

  • Kreutzer, J.F.: „Messmethoden für die Detektion der Flüssigkeitsaufnahme zur Prävention von Dehydratation“. Dissertation. Technische Universität München, 12.04.2017. URL: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:91-diss-20170412-1307367-1-6
  • Kreutzer, J.F., Deist, J., Hein, C.M. & Lüth, T.C.: „Sensor systems for monitoring fluid intake indirectly and directly,” in IEEE EMBS 13th Annual International Body Sensor Networks Conference (BSN 2016), 14.-17.6.2016, San Francisco, USA, DOI: 10.1109/BSN.2016.7516223
  • Kreutzer, J.F., Flaschberger, J., Hein, C.M. & Lüth, T.C.: „Capacitive detection of filling levels in a cup,” in IEEE EMBS 13th Annual International Body Sensor Networks Conference (BSN 2016), 14.-17.6.2016, San Francisco, USA, DOI: 10.1109/BSN.2016.7516228
  • Kreutzer, J.F., Kosch, F., Ramesberger, S., Reimer, S.M.F. & Lüth, T.C., „Base station concepts of an automatic fluid intake monitoring system,” in IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics (ROBIO 2015), 6.-9.12.2015, Zhuhai, China, pp. 126 - 131, DOI: 10.1109/ROBIO.2015.7418755
  • Kreutzer, J.F., Ramesberger, S., Reimer, S.M.F., Entsfellner, K. & Lüth, T.C., „Automatically detecting fluid intake using conductivity measurements of beverages in a cup,” in IEEE International Conference on Automation Science and Engineering 2015, 24.-28.08.2015, Gothenburg, Sweden, pp. 1546-1551, DOI: 10.1109/CoASE.2015.7294319.
  • D’Angelo, L.T., Kreutzer, J.F., Neuhäuser, J., Reimer, S. & Lüth, T.C.: „Personal Assistive Devices for Elderlies”, in Holzinger, A., Ziefle, M., Röcker, C. (Eds.), Pervasive Health, Human–Computer Interaction Series. Springer London, pp. 181–210, DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4471-6413-5_8
  • Kreutzer, J.F., Schmid, R., Reimer, S.M.F., Lüth, T.C. & D'Angelo, L.T.: „Radio Frequency Identification Based Detection of Filling Levels for Automated Monitoring of Fluid Intake”, in IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics (ROBIO 2014), 5.-10.12.2014, Bali, Indonesien, pp. 2049-2054, DOI: 10.1109/ROBIO.2014.7090638.
  • Kreutzer, J.F.; Pfitzer, M. & D’Angelo, L.T., „Accuracy of caring personnel in estimating water intake based on missing liquid in drinking vessels,” in Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC 2013), 2.-7.7.2013, Osaka, Japan, pp. 4682-4685, DOI: 10.1109/EMBC.2013.6610592

Involved persons

Scientific researchers

  • Joachim Kreutzer

Theses by students

  • Johannes Deist ,,Entwicklung eines Systems zur Trinkmengenerfassung mittels Durchflussmessung," Masterarbeit, October 2015 - March 2016
  • Jannai Flaschberger ,,Entwicklung eines kapazitiven Messsystems zur Trinkmengenüberwachung," Semesterarbeit, July 2015 - December 2016
  • Florian Kosch ,,Ein Netzwerk zur Trinkmengenüberwachung mit multifunktionalen Ladestationen," Bachelorarbeit, April 2014 - October 2014
  • Andreea Usatenco ,,Verarbeitung gesundheitsrelevanter Daten zur Flüssigkeitsaufnahme auf einer Home Care Unit," Interdisziplinäres Projekt, Mai 2013 - October 2014
  • Filippos Bamopoulos ,,Kommunikationsstruktur eines Sensorsystemens zur automatischen Bestimmung von Füllständen," Bachelorarbeit, March 2013 - Februar 2014
  • Raphaela Schmid ,,RFID-basierte Leitfähigkeitsmessung passiver Sensorsysteme," Semesterarbeit, April 2013 - October 2013
  • Jakob Miedaner ,,Energieversorgung autarker Sensorsysteme zur Bestimmung von Trinkmengen," Bachelorarbeit, December 2012 - July 2013
  • Anna-Maria Georgarakis ,,Aufbau und Evaluierung eines spülbaren Trinkgefäßes zur automatisierten Messung von Trinkmengen," Bachelorarbeit, April 2013 - December 2013
  • Susanne Meindl ,,Entwicklung eines Funktionsmusters für ein System zur Erkennung der Füllmenge eines Trinkglases," Semesterarbeit, April 2013 - July 2013

Research assistants

  • Maike Friedrich (Engineering experience)
  • Stefan Gänsler (Research assistant)
  • Eicke Hecht (Research assistant)
  • Simon Laudahn (Research assistant)
  • Stefan Ramesberger (Research assistant)
  • Anja Schneider (Research assistant)